Gibson writes: "If an unlikable, pasty white guy with a personality akin to a piece of wood and a forgettable name like Scott Walker can turn a Northern blue state red by taking a dump all over the bottom 90 percent to reward the top 1 percent ... this Republican strategy can be replicated anywhere."

What Does Wisconsin See in Scott Walker?

By Carl Gibson, Reader Supported News

27 May 12

Reader Supported News | Perspective

ne consistent set of characters on the Tim and Eric Awesome Show are the characters Carol and Mr. Henderson. Carol is an office secretary, and Mr. Henderson is her abusive boss. Carol always finds herself somehow stimulated by Dan's constant verbal abuse and berating her for everything from her weight, the way she smells, her lack of fashion and the way she talks. Carol not only continues to work for Dan, but is actually turned on by his constant bullying and abuse. The same comparison could be made for the half of Wisconsin that still wholeheartedly supports Gov. Scott Walker.

To make it perfectly clear that he planned on rewarding corporations by sticking it to the middle class, Walker called a special session on his first day office for "job creation," where he passed $117 million in state tax breaks to corporations before telling teachers they were the cause of the deficit because they had union wages and benefits. And despite the 14 Democrats who left the state in protest of Walker's union-busting budget bill to deny a quorum, Walker and his fellow servants of the rich forced the bill through anyway. The corporations got their big tax break at the expense of health care for sick children and the jobs of qualified teachers. And those corporations still aren't hiring. In fact, Wisconsin has the worst jobs record in the nation despite Walker's tax breaks, and lost 5,900 jobs last month alone.

If putting a corporate boot on the necks of working families to spite his political opponents isn't enough to convince Walker's supporters they're voting against their own best interests, Walker is also an outspoken criminal who lies under Congressional oath. When asked, while testifying under Congressional oath, if he had any ulterior political motives behind his Budget Repair Bill, Walker, of course, said no. Walker argued his bill was written to respond to unions' proposals submitted in December. But his staff started work on the bill just 20 days after his election, and told a billionaire campaign donor he would "use divide-and-conquer" strategies to pit private- and public-sector Wisconsin workers against each other to make Wisconsin "a completely red state." Lying under oath is perjury, which is a criminal act. And criminals belong in jail, not the governor's mansion.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9uxrZXyfzc

In 2010, the year Scott Walker was elected and the Tea Party took over Congress, the top 1% took in 93% of all income. Taking everything Walker and his ilk say at face value, the only reason our economy is still struggling is because those in the obscenely wealthy top 1% still don't have enough money to create jobs. This underlying belief explains contemporary Republican governance. If the rich only had more money, things would improve. Now, 1 percenters and corporate executives from out of state are pouring in money by the truckloads to help Scott Walker beat the recall attempt, hoping such governance will continue because workers' wages be damned, their profits are all that matter.

Wisconsin has become the epicenter of politics right now, and is rightfully seen as a proving ground for all future Republican politicians. If an unlikable, pasty white guy with a personality akin to a piece of wood and a forgettable name like Scott Walker can turn a Northern blue state red by taking a dump all over the bottom 90 percent to reward the top 1 percent, and survive 100,000 people occupying the state capitol and a recall election brought about by 1,000,000 signatures to boot, this Republican strategy can be replicated anywhere. And it will, if Walker wins on June 5th.

I'll have to assume Wisconsinites who like Scott Walker like him for the same reason Carol likes Mr. Henderson. Even though he calls her a cow, makes crude sexual advances and throws coffee in her face without provocation, Carol still goes to bed at night dreaming lovingly of Mr. Henderson. Wisconsin Republicans simply must get off on the abuse Walker happily bestows upon them and their children.

Carl Gibson, 25, is co-founder of US Uncut, a nationwide creative direct-action movement that mobilized tens of thousands of activists against corporate tax avoidance and budget cuts in the months leading up to the Occupy Wall Street movement. Carl and other US Uncut activists are featured in the documentary "We're Not Broke," which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. He currently lives in Old Lyme, Connecticut. You can contact Carl at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
, and listen to his online radio talk show, Swag The Dog, at blogtalkradio.com/swag-the-dog.

Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News.

Comments

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The Tbaggers overtook many of our states and elections thru a grand plan backed with money from the Koch Bastards and Rove. They recently said, they only need someone who can hold a pen, when referring to a Presidential candidate. I think they used the same philosophy for taking over all the offices they did get. The Dems didn't get out and vote, I hope they learned their lesson. None of these idiots got into office by my hand, I voted straight democratic. What do Wisconsinites see in Scott Walker? Beats me, they should be able to see right thru him.

"the dems didn't get out and vote"...poppy-cock!! There ya go again, blaming the victims.

As I see it, there were two factors at play. The DEMS aka DCCC, DNC, DLC, o, and soldout gang FAILED to back with money and presence the entire 2010 election...almost like deer in the headlights or by plan.

And secondly, the o was so obviously on the wrong side of everything, giving away bargaining chips BEFORE the bargaining, backing and expanding a zillion bushco travesties which we all know so I won't do the boring reiteration for the zillionth time.

I leave you to your own conscience in voting straight dem...torture, wars, drone slaughter, whistle blower prosecutions, mega expanded internal spying, suppression of all protests in one way or another...OH!!sorry, I said I would try and not bore posters with Department of Redundancy Department reduncancies.

Check out the article in Reader Supported News as to why working whites vote republican. It has very little to do with their own economic interest. Or anything else in their interest. It's mainly about fear of the "other" and moral rectitude.

The Tbaggers overtook many of our states and elections thru a grand plan backed with money from the Koch Bastards and Rove. They recently said, they only need someone who can hold a pen, when referring to a Presidential candidate. I think they used the same philosophy for taking over all the offices they did get. The Dems didn't get out and vote, I hope they learned their lesson. None of these idiots got into office by my hand, I voted straight democratic. What do Wisconsinites see in Scott Walker? Beats me, they should be able to see right thru him.

Amen to that -- I did too. Do you ever wonder whether the polls are "fixed" like everything else? Looking at these WI polls, I can imagine if I were a Dem on that state, first of all I'd be in a state of disbelief -- "how could this be?" Next, I'd be terribly discouraged. Discouragement and hopelessness foster apathy, especially if I've worked as hard as possible on the recall effort...rigging the polls to show their candidate running strong would be a good way to discourage the Dem/progressive vote, wouldn't it? It's also possible that such discouraging poll numbers might make WI Dems/ progressives question their own reason and maybe second-guess themselves.

Lolanne: I'm with you. I don't believe the polls. I think the voters are just as mad as ever and they will get that elephant out of the Governorship. It is easy to rig the polls and spew lies, the Rs do it all the time. I hope they have Poll-Watchers, to make sure that no shady stunts are in play on election day. The DNC will be in full force tomorrow, from what I hear. I see there are Tbaggerheads on here spewing their hatemongering too.

You are right Barbara. Debbie Wasserman Schultz will start campaigning in Wisconsin this week. A number of democrats have complained that Obama is not campaigning there too. I have heard Wisconsinites say that this is a matter for THEIR state. They want to show that THEY can do it.

If it ends badly, ...which I sure hope not....The republicans will jump all over it, and try to make it all about Obama, which it IS NOT.

I think we all should keep a sharp eye on this election. There is NO DOUBT in my mind that Walker and his gang will try to steal it. If the exit polls differ markedly from the voting result, we have to scream BLOODY MURDER and demand an investigation. .....a VERY thorough investigation.

In 04 the election was absolutely STOLEN IN OHIO. The maker of the Diebold voting machine told Bush, that he would ensure a win?? The democrats would not investigate and contest the result. That was a huge mistake. They should have done it. I hope they learned, that this is NOT the time to roll over and give up.

WE have to FIGHT for everything EVERY VOTE..... AND WE NEED PAPER RECEIPTS!!!

Total BS. The main difference between Republicans and Democrats is that Republicans believe lies (which is why Faux News is so popular with them) and Democrats are reality based and often get discouraged and don't get to the polls.

In a sane world there would be no Republican in any office until the wingnuts were purged.

Lolanne - You are exactly right that the polls are discouraging. Wisconsin is a bellwether for the upcoming national elections. It is so tempting to throw up our hands and say if the DNC and the President don't care how this election comes out, why am I busting my ass working to defeat Walker and his puppet masters! Sometimes I feel as if we are the young Chinese man facing down a tank in the iconic Tienanmen Square photo. Yet, we keep going on, some no longer believing that a people's movement ever can defeat massive amounts of money. We have to. Because in the end, whatever happens, each of us needs to make our own personal statement on behalf of the 99%, even those who will vote against their own interests; if not us, who? If not now, when? We are at Lexington and Concord, and the war has just begun. (P.S. If only you are right about the polls!!! Dare we hope?)

Lolanne - You are exactly right that the polls are discouraging. Wisconsin is a bellwether for the upcoming national elections. It is so tempting to throw up our hands and say if the DNC and the President don't care how this election comes out, why am I busting my ass working to defeat Walker and his puppet masters! Sometimes I feel as if we are the young Chinese man facing down a tank in the iconic Tienanmen Square photo. Yet, we keep going on, some no longer believing that a people's movement ever can defeat massive amounts of money. We have to. Because in the end, whatever happens, each of us needs to make our own personal statement on behalf of the 99%, even those who will vote against their own interests; if not us, who? If not now, when? We are at Lexington and Concord, and the war has just begun. (P.S. If only you are right about the polls!!! Dare we hope?)

I sure hope so, Conniejo! It makes sense to me that the repigs would be putting out rigged poll results -- that fits right in with the rest of the nasty tricks in their repertoire.Pulling for Wisconsin and the ouster of walker and his henchmen!

You are the type of voter Barry covets. You not only admit you give no thought to your vote - you brag about it. "I voted straight democratic." He knows the more people think about him the less likely he is to get their vote.

Yes but in elections now there is NOTHING left but lesser evil choices.

I have yet to hear a convincing argument of why I should consider any "conservative" anything but the greatest evil.

A huge amount of money is being spent to suppress voting. Republicans have learned that the fewer the votes cast, the better they do.

This election cycle will test American democracy as never before, and the people must express their will at the ballot box. Conservative ideology (and propaganda) has made America a greedy, ugly, frightened nation. Voting can change that. We still have a choice. Please vote!

There will always be a certain percentage of voters who support any Republican because of his party, no matter what. That might cover around 30% of the population. As for the others who still support Walker, I think it is due to two things.

1. The media (other than a few small exceptions like RSN) is almost 100% controlled by corporate interests, and the view most people have is very biased and pro-corporation, thus pro-Walker.

2. Citizens United and the huge amounts of money the right-wing and corporations are pouring into the election. A very large percentage of people base their decisions on the ads they happen to see or hear, and Walker's side has a huge advantage there.

What does this mean for the upcoming national elections? Obama will have an extremely difficult time winning, and even if he wins, Republicans will almost certainly control both houses. Unless we have a much bigger grassroots movement than in 2008, I'm pretty sure this will happen. But so many of Obama's strongest 2008 supporters were disillusioned by his first term that there isn't much chance of an equal grassroots movement, much less a bigger one.

I disagree. I think the 2010 election has made conservatives over confident. They've overplayed there hand and made it clear how radical their goals are.

OWS has brought the real issues forward in a way that was not previously apparent to many Americans. Home foreclosures in practically every neighborhood have made people feel that banks aren't pillars of the economy. People want to move forward and find better ways of governing and doing business. Conservatives just want to go back to a mythical past that never was. I think people are smarter than that (at least somewhere around half of us).

What do they see in Scott Walker? Budget deficits turned to surpluses. No government employee layoffs. No forced union dues. The bad behavior of the left curbed. Unions punished for this useless and expensive recall election. Plenty of things. What do they see in his opponent? Nothing.

Budget deficits being manipulated by "cash accounting" while Walker simultaneously crying about "undisclosed deficits" to the feds so he can cut Medicaid services. 17,800 public sector jobs lost, plus 6100 private sector jobs lost -- the ONLY state that lost private sector jobs. No collective bargaining. To what "bad behavior" do you refer? Like your weekends, do you? Overtime? Workplace safety? Stop the anti-union crap. It was the voice of the people that fought for this recall election, and it's only Walker's Koch benefactors outspending the people 25 to 1 that even makes it a horserace, still a 50-50 proposition. What does THAT tell you? Walker committed perjury, the lie is on tape as is the proof of the lie. What have you been drinking/smoking/shooting...or are you just a paid troll, in which case I just wasted my time and everyone else's. Try sticking just one fact into your next post.

Are we talking about the same Wisconsin? I have seen many government employee layoffs and cutbacks. The worst job loss numbers in the entire country. A budget surplus turned into a deficit by a huge giveaway to corporations in the first few days. The loss of many potential jobs rebuilding a crumbling infrastructure because of a refusal to accept federal money destined to be spent in any case. The departure of a Spanish train manufacturer that would have provided many long-term jobs for people who would actually make something tangible and not just past money among the most well-to-do in order to save the Koch brothers from competition in the rail industry. The poverty rate rising among formerly middle class, hard-working people who have contributed their sweat and tears to build a formerly proud, unified, maverick state that is falling into ruin. That is the Wisconsin most of us are living in, including many who will vote for Walker because they have been swayed by empty promises and by fear of "the other," in this case, public workers. You appear to be one of the people who Walker has reached through his divide and conquer strategy. I'm sorry for you, but I will continue to fight for a better, fairer Wisconsin for you as well.

What do they see in Scott Walker? Budget deficits turned to surpluses. No government employee layoffs. No forced union dues. The bad behavior of the left curbed. Unions punished for this useless and expensive recall election. Plenty of things. What do they see in his opponent? Nothing.

What ?? I could be wrong but I thought Wisconsin has high unemployment and one of the most stagnant economies of the states, just the opposite of what Walker promised, which was that he would "create" a host of new jobs within the first year..... instead he's laid off workers.

He couldn't finish college, he can't pronounce the State's name and he's s tool of billionaires to boot. Just what the state needs!! A lying bag of manure who is delusional in thinking he's on the "right track".Oh, did I mention he's under investigation though lies about that too?????????

As Marie Antoinette said; "Let them eat cake". As Walker says; "Cake? Let them eat urinal cake!" But hating walker is like hating any sock puppet. We gotta get angry at those who control him. Then they can all go away. Jail is too good for the lot of them!!!

The sad truth is that a perfect storm is brewing in America and the corporate elites are taking advantage of it.

The storm consists of a giant number of retired/semi-retired baby-boomers and the parents of those people that are still alive. These folks don't really care about jobs; They are either set for life on a nice (often government paid) retirement, or have little debt (from a lifetime of opportunities) and a guaranteed (for now) Social Security and Medicare benefit. They simply DON'T CARE about anyone but themselves, as they have been correctly dubbed the "me generation".

The youth are disappointed in Obama and living with the help of their parents.

The rest of the white population have "closet racist" tendencies and fear the Hispanic "takeover" of America as southerners still fear and loath "welfare queen" blacks.

This is the Tea-Party and that 50% that will oust Obama, keep Walker in office and seal the deal for a bleak future for all who are under 50 years old in America today.

I guess we can all just "self deport" but, when you were born here, where do you "deport" to?

I am a retired person and mother of three baby boomers and we ALL care about jobs. I care about jobs for my baby boomers who are all still working or wish they were! And I have grandchildren who are either working or in college or in school and I also have great grandchildren. you think we don't care about anybody but our selves? That's crazy.The only reason I don't have any debt is that I am a careful shopper and I don't have to have every new thing that comes along.

I am white and i am not a racist. Never have been. Never will be. Don't condone it and I fight against it. Won't put up with it.

Please don't lump us all together and hate everyone above a certain age. That's just dumb. Just as dumb as older people thinking everyone below a certain age is selfish or thoughtless or whatever.

I have to say that while this may not be true of everyone, there is certainly a faction of people who are as you describe, George D -- including my stepmother. She worked in public education all her life, has a cushy 120K retirement check courtesy of IL taxpayers (all while railing against government), but essentially the attitude of her and her friends is "I'm in the boat, pull up the ladder."

A HUGE number of people don't want to be told that they haven't earned and don't deserve what they have. So anyone whose essential message is, "YOU worked hard, so don't worry about anyone else. THOSE PEOPLE just don't work hard enough, and I'm not going to ask you to support them" is going to be just fine with huge swaths of people who got while the getting was good and don't care enough--or who aren't connected enough--to realize that the system doesn't work at all the way it did 30 years ago, when they were in their prime earning years.

No one wants to have their own hard work invalidated. So they'll go with the self-congratulatory crowd, even if it means completely invalidating other people's harsher realities. Thus Walker's success, who is staunchly on side of the haves and who like many Republicans has so successfully scapegoated the less fortunate and less successful.

We have the government that we deserve. We The People have proved inumerable times that as long as the beer is cold and Idol is on TV, DWLLWGAF?

The poor vote consistently against their own interests because of the Walmart mentality - by golly one of these days that lottery ticket will have all my numbers on it and I'll be rich and don't want to pay taxes for the programs that my current fiscal state leaves me eligible for. Seriously severe and chronic anal-cephalic impaction.

It's NOT Wisconsin that's so enamored of Scott Walker, it's the BIG MONEY PLAYERS who have insinuated themselves into the Political Scene there! It's a sad day when our State and Federal Governments can be bought and sold by the highest Bidders. "Le Deluge" is about to begin in Earnest! With Luck and Numbers, the PEOPLE, United, WILL show them the Door during the Recall Vote!

One thing that seems to be missing from this article is that perhaps the disgust the voters feel may not be in support of Walker but just the disgust with the incumbents.Perhaps the REAL CHANGE that voters are seeking out is not support for Walker but just getting rid of lying a self seeking current politicians.What we need to do is stop blaming voters and start putting the blame in our current politicians in politics.That includes ALL of them.

It is no secret how the Republicans do it. They try to understand the feelings and motivations of the voters, they do research to find out what rings their bell, they tailor a message (has no connection to what the Party believes in) that gives the votes a sense of satisfaction, and they push this message constantly through overwhelming advertising campaigns. Democrats need to wise up and find a way of showing the voters that their sense of satisfaction in voting Republican will actually bring them pain.

Wisconsin, the nation is watching you to see if you can successfully oust Scott Walker. It will not only free you from the bonds of his tyranny, but it will send a message to the rest of the country that his kind of politics will be defeated by those who care about democracy. Dems, get out and vote!

And the only TEA-BAGGERS are the LIBERALS and UNION THUGS who use their PROPAGANDA to perpetuate LIES ... instead of bringing back PROSPERITY FOR ALL ... they only want .. PROSPERITY for their little MINORITY GROUP! Yeah, the majority of whom are PUBLIC EMPLOYEES paid from MONEY contributed by the PRIVATE SECTOR workers.

GET A CLUE. Barbara K, and Carl Gibson... Scott Walker is filling the PUBLIC COFFERS and INCREASING THE WORKFORCE in the private sector to PAY your UNIONS and PUBLIC SECTOR members who are bitching and moaning.

Wisconsin COULD go bankrupt and all LEGACY payments could DISAPPEAR! Yeah.. think about that as you bash the guy who SAVED UNIONS from completely going bankrupt! Maybe you should EDUCATE YOURSELF to how the MONEY is generated by the PRIVATE sector to PAY the PUBLIC SECTOR. Obviously ... YOUR EDUCATION is LACKING!!!

If you want to live without public servants -- without law enforcement, fire protection, schools, libraries, parks, street and highway repair, the military -- then go live somewhere else. Walker is raping the public sector AND the private sector -- worst job creation in the nation -- the ONLY state that LOST private sector jobs last year. Get a little, just a little, educated yourself.

Your need to SHOUT constantly undermines whatever message you think you are espousing.You cannot even believe what you are saying... cutting jobs/health care etc. for comparatively underpaid and the genuinely EDUCATED (on their own dime!) public sector workers CREATES nothing. Just as the self-serving, narrow-minded Bush tax cuts to the super-wealthy created nothing, and injured our country. The private sector just generates more money for the private sector, while trying to extract more and more from labor at the same time it tries to pay workers less and less. [Rather reminiscent of a master/serf relationship, but not especially American or democratic.] [No doubt YOU got a public education in Wisconsin; did you pay for it with private sector money or did some elderly person on a pension help pay for it with their taxes?]

Like the Rombot, the private sector gets its jollies from 'firing' people, bailing out [but never regulating] the bigtime gambler banksters, and subsidizing the ENTITLEMENTS of the CORPORATE oil 'welfare queens', but cutting basic services to 99% of the populace. Slave labor is not 'increasing the workforce', or maybe that's the only kind of workforce you want or can tolerate ... .

fliteshare, are you EVER barking up the wrong tree. Bill Gates is giving most of his money to a variety of IMPORTANT causes. Education, health and more. Both in our country and others too. He is doing such a good job, that one of the wealthiest men in the world. Warren Buffet is going to give Bill Gates the majority of HIS money to administer. So please lay off Bill Gates.

Obama encountered difficulties, as recounted above. But he did not pursue even 1/3 of what was needed as turnaround Stimulu$and he let the Wall St.criminals who created havoc TOTALLY off the hook. Thus, he failed himself & BETRAYED us. A crisis is a terrible thing to waste, & Obama fumbled one of the best hand-offs in American history, a hated bankers created catastrophe. For his arrogance & weakness, he deserves to lose in utter humiliation, but I hope he doesn't, for others' sake.

Lets see, the republican baggers march out a guy nobody ever heard of who can't come up with a plan of his own but is real good at taking orders from guys like Rove and Cheney. Couple that with a personality as interesting as a glass of water and back him with millions of dollars of corporate money and you have; Bush, Walker, Brewer, Cantor, et.al. The method is the same.The only difference is where they sleep at night.While democrats were pointing out the TRUE differences between party lines , the republicans were purchasing the government and all the state governments they could get their greedy little hands on. While President Obama was offering an open hand to republicans at the white house, they were busy plotting to rail against a healthcare bill that provides for 30 million people to get healthcare they couldn't afford, while allowing people with pre existing conditions access to healthcare. All during the process he was mindful of the other side, not wanting to shut them out completely.Big mistake. When he had the majority in the House and Senate, he should have run rough shod right through the middle of them. Next time WILL be different my friends, next time will be different.

President Obama never had a majority in the House and Senate. Besides a majority is not enough in the Senate due to the filibuster rule. Everyone who puts forth this premise of the majority does not know politics.

Moreover, everyone who speaks to the majority as an argument forgets the Blue Dog Democrats who were more Republican than Democrat. They came from Red states that were marginally Democratic and had been recruited under the Dean, 50 state strategy. They voted 95+% of the time with the Republicans in Congress whose goal was to "do nothing in the House" and "just say no" in the Senate to try to ensure the POTUS aa a one term President - McConnell et al pronounced this as their main priority.

Couple the above with the racial motivation of the Republicans to support their 'get that Black man out of our White House strategy' and the eagerness for so many to adopt that notion both inside and outside the media, America was left the worse for it economically and relative to making progress on healthcare reform / expansion to the masses.

So don't talk to me about majorities, especially when in the Senate a majority is not enough and majority America loves to cling to its racial insanity.

Carl Gibson, excellent analogy to the pathological connection between the secretary and her abusive boss... and the people of Wisconsin who support Scott Walker. It's really hard for me to understand how people could be so duped into voting not only against their own economic interests, but those of their children and grandchildren.TexasAggie, I think you got it right... they are not really focusing on the numbers at all, but instead on the Republican identification with white bread America and the fear of anyone outside their ethnic group. They are still horrified that we could have elected a black man to be president, and want to somehow reverse this moment in history. With the money pouring in from the Kochs and their ilk, it could happen, and, as Gibson has noted, this Republican strategy can- and will- be replicated everywhere.

The ONLY way to stop these thugs is vote STRAIGHT DEMOCRAT. Anything short of that, and the Koch Brothers and Karl Rove WIN.

We can clean out own house, once we have thrown these (R's) out on their heinies.

As long as they have the power to filibuster in the Senate with anything under 60 votes, Obama can accomplish basically NOTHING.

MORE importantly, if an (R) gets the White House, they will undoubtedly get the opportunity to appoint 2 or maybe 3 retiring conservative Supreme Court Justices, whose actions outlast MANY Presidential terms.

All I want out of Obama at this point are some liberal to moderate Supreme Court Justices. That would make for a successful Presidency in his 2nd term, IMHO.

The media is largely responsible for the success of the Republican party. they provide credibility to Republicans by complicitly representing their views as morally equivalent to those of the Democrats. They fail to point out what Republican policies truly do, but rather just talk to Republican talking points which are regularly not what their policies or actions are really about.

Republicans then appeal to the lowest common denominators of the American psyche, race, fear, religious superiority in the form of intolerance and greed and the media fails to call them on it.

Coupled with the tendency of liberals and progressives to literally eat their own and to represent in spades the American need for immediate gratification, Democrats often fail to vote when they haven't gotten all they want, when they wanted it.

Democrats all to often seem to fail to realize that things take time and persistence and perseverance are what are needed to change the American political and social landscape.

These forces working in concert are the perfect breeding ground for Republicans to take over and wreak havoc on the American public, while Democrats sit back and complain.

This is a phrase I seriously wish liberals would stop using. It is counterproductive. Do you want to know why these voters reject Democrats? I have an easy answer. They resent being lectured to by people who, by virtue of whatever advanced degree they have from whatever private liberal college they went to, think they know what their "interests" should be. They resent being talked to as if they can't articulate for themselves what their needs are.

Seriously, you can't have it both ways. Democrats are either elite liberal ivory-tower professors, or they're poor, unemployed, uneducated, lazy leeches on the economy. By the way, the "private" colleges are full of Romneys.

But maybe you're right about the framing. We should be bolder, shorter, bumper-sticker short: "Destroy the GOP government-for-profit privateers." "Save our economy: disenfranchise a Republican." "Slow recovery or economic Armageddon? You choose."

Sorry, are all those too precious as well? Do you truly think that FOX isn't pushing their own "interests" while articulating the "needs" of the willfully ignorant on the right? I resent the lies that are presented every day of the week on right-wing talk radio, and I resent them on behalf of the baffled-by-baloney crowd as well.

Yes, they are lied and led into voting against their own best interests. They are lied and led into continuing poverty and lack of opportunity and early death from lack of access to health care, but their pride and prejudice and bloody self-righteous anger remains intact, so it's okay.

The left still hasn't learned the basics of effective messaging. The right knows how to package its positions in ways that people can easily remember and they also know how to look reasonable.

Maybe a better strategy would be to talk to them, not at them. People don't want to be "educated". They want to be treated like equals.

@Rain17,

so what you are saying is the Repubs. are good at conning the intellectually challenged while the Dems. still think there is some sense in telling the truth and hope that people will see the difference? Silly liberals, to think there might be some good in human nature.

You may be right that those voters resent hearing that phrase, but when one realizes that what has happened to public workers will next be visited upon private sector workers, the phrase is true, and I use it out of empathy because I used to be part of that group. Workers in the private sector soon will experience loss of the few rights they have left from the days when the unions were able to command enough people power to ensure safe working conditions, reasonable work hours, a minimum wage with which one can almost support a family . . . for a return to what will feel like serfdom. The 1% soon will be able to say blatantly, "You don't like your wages being cut? You object to the elimination of overtime pay rates? You don't want to work 12 hour days? Fine; quit. There are many unemployed who are anxious to take your place for even less." I grew up on welfare and now live relatively comfortably. I don't worry about getting my next meal any more. I don't have to be fighting for this recall with all my heart and soul, but I am doing it for all the people who haven't had the same luck as I, for private sector workers who should have decent pay and benefits and respect for what they do, things they believe their counter-parts in the public sector are getting for nothing and don't deserve. We ALL deserve this. The corporatocracy that's coming is against the self-interest of all but the 1%; only when we realize that can we work together for the betterment of all.

In the interest of friendly correction please note that Carl Gibson misquotes the research on income concentration that he cites. He says: "In 2010, the year Scott Walker was elected and the Tea Party took over Congress, the top 1% took in 93% of all income." BUT his source says: "Hence, the top 1% captured 93% of the incomeGAINS in the first year of recovery." Big difference. The top 1% did not get 93% of all income in 2010; they got about 20% of all income. Bad enough but not what CG wrote.

Rain 17, I don't know how speaking the truth is counterproductive. Unless you are afraid of hearing it.

The Tea Party and Koch brothers have hijacked the national conversation to the point where people have been swindled into believing certain words represent something to be feared.

"Liberal" is a good example. It has its roots in Latin "liberalis" which is "noble, generous," lit. "pertaining to a free man.

Yet, the Republican media machine has turned it into a pejorative. I am liberal with my praise, with my time, with my energy (I actively work in two community service organizations and quietly help several others) I am proud to be a progressive liberal American... and yet people such as yourselves act like "liberal" is a bad word. p.s. I am a member of the Democratic party because, since the Civil Rights movement, have been the party more concerned with social and economic justice than the Republicans, who are more interested in numbers on a page than people.

In the end, people vote by how they feel about things, not by the facts at hand. That is why fear-mongering and race-baiting is so pervasive among those who control the Tea Party. They know it works. And they will, in the end, get people to vote against their best economic interests.

A couple of you understand. Here it is. The local ABC,NBC, and Fox channels are pro-Walker. The NBC and ABC have Conservative talk radio programs going 24/7 talking up Walker and down the Democrats. If you have access to any of the more Progressive channels or Free Speech TV or are educated you voted against Walker, but he has so much money and so many "press" people working for him the truth rarely if ever gets out. As County Executive Walker didn't want to raise taxes and a person died as the front section of a parking garage fell off to save money. Tom Barrett saved a lady and her grand kid. Walker has always been the Privatization King. He is killing deer hunting in a hunting State, but the message doesn't get out. It is sad. Many of us our fighting against him. He's made it harder to vote. The Republicans are against our strong environmental history and our strong labor history so I hope we are ready to fight the fights all over again.

Every time a non-public worker receives any form of compensation the cost of such is paid by the consumer. That is true of ditch diggers, dentists, real estate brokers, insurance agents, truck drivers, shoe store owners, and all others who provide goods or services in the private sector. We all pay via the prices we are charged.

Well guess what? Public employees are entitled to the same consideration. Why should they have to pay higher prices to support your lifestyle, while you work to undermine their very moderate standards of living?

I have no way of knowing how old or how wealthy you are, but if you are part of the [vanishing, thanks to NAFTA-type trade schemes] middleclass and nearing retirement age you had better pray to God that the same bankruptcy argument you use for Wisconsin doesn’t happen nationally. If it did, the “legacy” funds called Social Security and Medicare would not be available to you. You’d have to get by without a Social Security check, and one major illness could wipe out your lifetime savings. By the way, Social Security is self-funded. It does not add one iota to deficits, or the national debt. And before Medicare, 50% of all seniors lacked health insurance. Shall we allow Romney to bankrupt those “legacy” funds? If you think that would be ok, how do you propose the nation dispose of all the dead senior citizens who would succumb to starvation or unmet medical needs?

I sent a couple of emails to the DNC:"Where is your support for the Walker recall?"

Of course no answer. I called them. The phone rang a long time, nobody answered.

Second time, after seven or eight rings a bored annoyed woman answered and tried to fob me off with assurances that smarter and more capable people than myself were working on it...I wore down and she told me that "negotiations were going on, and there would be an announcement soon..."

Stupid person working for a stupid institution, my message would be to you AND the DNC..."Why don't you people get jobs you like doing? and let some people who DO believe and have the guts to follow in the old and true sentiments FDR so clearly laid out for us? If you CAN'T lead, GET OUT OF THE WAY..."

I can't help but think it would be very different if Howard Dean were still head of the DNC...Wisconsin needs a fighter on the national stage, a real scrapper. Let's hope the "announcement" comes soon -- like today -- and is brilliant!

Could it be that the DNC has internal polling that shows the race out of reach?

Could it be that Walker has a narrow lead and that that final 5% that Barrett needs just won't budge no matter what?

What I think is happening is that the DNC may have internal information that shows Barrett, even with Herculean assistance, is likely to lose a 52-48% election to Walker. That final 4-5% may just be out of reach for Barrett. And perhaps they don't want President Obama and the DNC affixing themselves to a race that may just be out of reach.

So unless the numbers have moved I don't necessarily fault the DNC for not openly embracing Barrett. They don't want a repeat of MA-SEN in 2010, where President Obama tried in vain to save Martha Coakeley.

If putting some few millions into the race and amping up the ground game is a "Herculean" effort, what is the 25-to-1 spending that the Kochs are doing on the behalf of Walker? And the race is still within the margin of error, despite that obscene amount of spending.

I don't know how to change the mind of a person who is hell-bent on voting for Walker; truth never seems to trump lies. But it seems as if, in this watershed moment, the least the DNC can do is fight, utilizing the street energy of the grass-roots activists, running some hellaciously creative and truth-filled ads, and getting out the vote. This is our summer for the Uprising of the Common Man, for shouting with the Voice of the People for our own true government by the People, for shouting out loud for sanity in the face of the radical right -- if we hesitate at the outset, we lose it all in November. Here's hoping the current incarnation of the DNC, for once, forgets pragmatism and climbs all the way into the ring.

They probably have gotten into the ring as much as they will, unless late polling this upcoming week shows that Barrett has gained significant ground. If Barrett has gotten that final 4-5% to budge, then I think President Obama might actually go out there.

But with this race what seems to be the dynamic is that Barrett can't get past 46-48%, while Walker maintains 51-52% of the vote. It seems like Barrett has hit a ceiling around 47%. For whatever reason Barrett can't get that final 4-5% of the vote that he needs to budge.

I don't fault President Obama or the DNC if their internal data shows that Barrett just can't win. It may simply be a case like MA-SEN, where even if they did get involved, it wouldn't make a difference.

Screw the DNC polling data. We want then to fight. We, as in we the people. We want them to fight for a change.

The DNC can poll this bit of data: This household has had enough of gutless Democrats to last a lifetime! The DNC can poll that they pursue a fool’s folly if they think they can get a donation from this address. We only give to real Democrats!

There are some fearless, courageous people in Congress, Like Rep. John Lewis. 80% of the rest of ‘em couldn’t carry his lunch bucket.

So screw the DNC. And while we’re at it screw the head honchos in the AFL-CIO. Those labor fakers are missing in action too. This from a real union person of 51 years!!!!!!!!!!!!! Today’s pie cards couldn’t carry water jugs for real workers, or for labor heroes and heroines of yore. Period!

1. The media (other than a few small exceptions like RSN) is almost 100% controlled by corporate interests ...."

This is an ERROR! The media IS 100% controlled by corporate interests, for the media IS corporate. It is a free enterprise corpoarate, 'for profit' agency for itself and all of the 1%. In the U.S. it has developed the most astute and almost totally opaque propoganda program that has, or ever will, exist in the world. As with all of the 1%, the bottom line is the dollar, and the rapacious appetite for that dollar as well as the free market we allow them and the rest of the 1% free access to, makes the corporate world 100% amoral. The only morality they can possibly exhibit is the morality that they are legislated to adhere to. Those, dear folks, are trusims. Like natural resources, the market place HAS to belong to the people if a Democracy is to survive. With the War of Independence, as with the French Revolution, the upper class (monarchy) was tossed out, and now a new upper class has taken its place - the corporate world - just as greedy and far more capable of maintianing its position than any monarchy ever was,AND the media is not on their side, the media in the United States IS THEM! Their dominance and power rests entirely IN their colleague in arms, the capitalist media.

spoke with a friend from Milwaukee yesterday only about the conflicting videos. his response was, "That's your opinion."

when i tried to point out that there was video evidence he just repeated, "That's you opinion.' and added he didn't want to talk politics.

my friend just lost his job because the company outsourced his division. he is a strong union supporter but he then proceeded to blame that his job was taken over by a company that uses Latinos and Eastern Europeans who will work cheap. Where was his union in this? oh, the union? the Teamsters.

but still the video proof was just 'my opinion'; i couldn't get any further with him; he doesn't realize that Walker's ruse in destroying public unions is just the 1st step in his eliminating ALL unions; the video contradicting the Congressional hearing one was Walker's promise to the financial backer that he would do away with all worker rights so she could make more money!

I refer to Wisconsinites seemingly irrational support for Governor Scott Walker - and Republican governors elsewhere - as the "Lemming Effect", a curious natural occurrence that appears irrational to most observers. (Lemmings are small arctic rodents whose mad dash to the sea often results in mass drownings.) It seems as if the country as a whole is gripped in a kind of social and political suicide march. Perhaps this is the era of Human Lemmings, a sign that we've run our course as a nation. Whatever happened to the United States of America, the country of purpose and liberty? Why do the worst, the most selfish and the most cynical and manipulative among us have so much power and influence? Human need has been replaced by human greed.

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